Russia’s Move: Two US Nationals, Including Active Soldier, Detained
Russian authorities have detained two U.S. nationals in separate criminal cases. One of them is a serving U.S. soldier who was arrested on theft charges by a court in Vladivostok, Russia’s Far East. The court identified the soldier as Gordon Black, and he will be detained at least until July 2. The U.S. Army has been informed about the detention but has not identified the soldier publicly. It’s mentioned that he had been based in South Korea.
The soldier’s case is said to have no political element, with the Russian Foreign Ministry describing it as a “purely everyday crime.” According to the Russian interior ministry in Vladivostok, the soldier was accused of stealing money from a 32-year-old woman he had met in South Korea. An argument between them led to her filing a police report against him. He was arrested in a local hotel, where he had purchased a plane ticket to return home.
In a separate incident, a U.S. citizen named William Russell Nycum was remanded for 10 days for “petty hooliganism.” He was found naked outside after drinking alcohol, an act deemed to show “obvious disrespect to society, citizens, and public order.”
These cases add to a series of criminal cases against Americans in Russia, some of which have had diplomatic implications in recent years. The U.S. embassy in Moscow has stated that it is aware of the reports and is ready to provide appropriate assistance to the detained citizens. However, due to privacy concerns, it cannot comment further.
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